Improvement ins porous-napped rubber fabrics



UNITED STATES PATENT rrrce;

CHARLES GOODYEAR, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT -|N POROUS-NAPPED RQBBER FABRlCSL Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35, 992, dated August 23, 1859.

To all whom it may coiwem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GOODYEAR, ofNew Haven, in the State of-Gonnecticut, have invented a new manufacture which I denominate Porous Napped India Rubber her or allied gums, and finally I discovered.

that by incorporating fibrous substances with india-rubber or allied gums, applied in a very soft or liquid state and very thin films, that the gum is not only cemented or bound together the 'mass of fibers, but became porous, so as to be pervious to air and at the same time waterrepellent, and the fabric so produced I secured by Letters Patent in England, sealed on the 5th day of May, 1850, and enrolled the 7 th day of December, 1850c, Subsequently I invented another fabric composed of a woven fabric coated with a porous film of indiaZ-rubher .or allied gum, rendering the fabric pervious to air and impervious to water; but fabrics so made, although useful for some purposes, are of very limited application,-in view of the want of a napped or woolen face resembling cloth. What was most desired was a fabric which should have a napped face, be much cheaper than woolen fabrics, impervious to water, and at the same time pervious to air. These result'slhave attained by my invention, which consists of a fabric formed either by incorporating a hat or fleece of cotton or other fibers with india-rubber insuch small proportional quantity and so soft or liquid as to become porous, or consisting of a woven fabric coated with india-rubber or allied gum so to thin-as to become pervious to air while it is impervious to water, and ot a coating of flocks or clippings or shearings of woolen or other fibers, or finely-granulated cork or other substance sifted over the surface while the gum is still in the plastic state.

Having thus pointed out the nature of my said invention, I will now describe the modes in which I have successfully produced the said new manufactdre.

I take a woven fabric-such as cotton clothand coat it on one face with india-rubber or allied gum, applied in the liquid state with what is known by india-rubber manufacturers as the spreading-knife. A good consistency of solution for the purpose is obtained by dissolving one pound of india-rubber in two pounds of naphtha or camphene; or if a bat or fleece of fibers be used, itis incorporated with a sheet of india-rubber or allied gum made very soft by heat and very thin, so as to become pervious to air; and when madeaceording to either of the above modes, and while the gum is still-in the plastic state, I spread over the surface, by a'sieve or other suitable means, a coating of flocks or shearings or clippings of woolen or other fibers, or finely-granulated cork or other granular matter, and partly incorporated with the gum by passing between calendering-rollers, and, if desired, the fabric thus produced may be vulcanized by artificial heat, the gum being previously prepared for that purpose in manner well known to persons acquainted with the process of vulcanizin g india-rubber.

The fabric produced by either of the modes above described will be found to be impervious to liquids and pervious to air, and with a face which may be napped or otherwise finished, as may be desired.

Although I have above described the modes by which I have successfully produced the fabric invented by me, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my claim of invention to such modes, as the same fabric may be produced by other modes.

-I am aware that fabrics have been made by spreadingflocks or clippings or shearipgs of wool or other fibers or granulated cork or other substance on the surface of india-rubber fabrics which were not porous, andcausing the same to adherethereto; and therefore I do not wish to be understood as making claim broadly to the facing of indie-rubber fabrics with flocks, clippings, or shearings, or granulated cork, &c.; but

WhatIdo claim as my invention, and desire flooks, clippings, or shearings' of woolen or to secure by Letters Patent, isother fibers or equivalents therefor, substan- A new porous manufacture or fabric eom-v tially' asand for the purpose described.

posed of a woven or other cloth, or equivalent CHAS. GOODYEAR.

therefor and india rubber or allied gum rend- Witnesses;

ered pervious to air and impervious to water, FRS. BACON,

substantially asdesoribed, and with a face of HORACE ANDREWS. 

